Vibrator comb



VIBRATOR/ COMB Filed Sept. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet .l v

A INVEN'T'QR W\LL.\HM M. WATHE GWTQRNEY A ril 7, 1942.

w. M. WATTIE VIBRATOR COMB 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed, Sept. 29, 1941 FIG-- E WV w; E T m N. t nn v M H N 1 n w Patented Apr. 7, 1942- UNITED STATE.

VIBRATOR COMB William M. Wattie,

Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 29, 1941, Serial No.

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pattern mechanisms, more particularly of the type known as the Knowles head, and it is the general object of the invention to rovide means by which the pattern controlling levers may be kept in properly spaced relation and in correct registry with the pattern mechanism.

The Knowles head employs a series of vibrator levers each carrying a vibrator gear attached to a harness jack operating connector. The levers are controlled as to their vertical position by a pattern chain made up of risers and sinkers arranged along bars which form the pattern chain. In order to keep the vibrator levers in alignment with the risers and sinkers as the latter move progressively to controlling position it has been customary heretofore to employ a comb or the like for holding the vibrator levers in correct position relatively to the pattern chain. These combs have ordinarily been made as a single casting having a base bar orbody cast integral with a number of spaced vertical fingers or teeth between which the levers'lie. If too much clearance exists between the levers and the comb teeth misalignment of the leverswith respect to the pattern chain is likely to result, and it is an important object of my present invention to make the guide comb in two parts each of which has finger forming elements, and provide for bolting the two parts together with the fingers of one part offset slightly from the fingers of the other part, the offset compensating for excess clearance between the vibrator lever and the fingers of either part. By means of the offset the effective guiding width of the space between the fingers or teeth can be reduced so that the levers may be kept in correct alignment with the pattern chain.

It is customary to make the vibrator lever with a vertical wear pad which is finished to a given thickness, and it is a further object of my present invention to form the two parts of the comb so that the line of division between them lies within the area or zone of the wear pads. By this construction the main body of the vibrator lever need not be of accurate thickness, but the comb is effective to position the levers vertically above their, pattern elements by engagement of one part of the comb while the other comb part or section engages the surface of the levers from which the thickness of the wear pads is determined.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a comb formed of two parts each having a horizontal base or web formed with a set of upwardly extending spaced finger forming elements together with provision for fastening one web to the other in any one of a number of different horizontally adjusted positions so that the effective width of the slots formed by the pairs of finger elements and extending transversely of the length of the'comb may be varied and accommodated to the thickness of the vibrator lever.

It has been customary heretofore to make the combs in such a way that the draft of the pattern from the sand in the molding operation has required a taper on the comb fingers in the direction of their length and also their thickness. By my improved two-part comb it is possible to cast each of the parts in such a way as to avoid the lengthwise taper and thus maintain the fingers of uniform width throughout their length so that the slots between them will have parallel sides.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a Knowles head showing my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line -3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the offset relation between the finger forming elements of the two comb parts or sections relatively to each other to position the vibrator levers correctly,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of part of the comb looking in the direction ofa rrow 5, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the vibrator levers.

Referring to the'drawings, particularly Fig. l, the loom arch l0 supports upper and lower mutilated cylinder gears II and I2, respectively, which rotate in opposite directions as usual and between which are located the vibrator gears l3 one of which is shown in Fig. 1. Each gear is attached by a connector 14 to a harness lifting jack I5, and each of the gears I3 is mounted on a vibrator lever 16 pivoted on a heel pin IT. The frame 20 of the head is provided with front and back arms 2| and 22, respectively, which support the heel pin IT. A number of vibrator levers [6 are located between the arms 2| and 22 over a pattern chain 25 mounted on a pattern cylinder 26 the shaft 21 of which is rotated by means not shown to present different bars of the pattern knife 3| controlled in the usual manner by a cam 32 and connections designated generally at 33 moves back and forth in a horizontal direction,-

moving away from the comb to permit vertical motion of the vibrator levers, and then moving under or over the ends of the vibrator levers, depending upon their vertical position, to hold them either in raised or lowered position.

The matter thus far described of itself forms no part of my present invention and operates in the usual manner. It may be stated that each .vibrator lever is formed of a flat thin vertical web 36 which has integral therewith a bearing head to turn on the heel pin Ir! and has also a vertical narrow wear plate or pad 31.

It has been common practice heretofore to provide a comb close to the heel pin and made of a single casting the teeth of which are occasionally separated by spaces too wide for proper guidance of the vibrator levers with respect to the risers .and sinkers of the patternchain. As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 to 5 I provide a composite two-part comb one part or section 40 of which is provided with front and back ear ll and: 42, respectively, which are secured by bolts 43 to the front and back arms 2| and 22, respectively, of the head frame. The comb part or section 40 has a horizontal longitudinally extending body 44 from which extend upwardly spaced comb teeth elements 45 separated by vibrator lever receiving spaces 46, and on the under side of which are depending spaced lugs 48. The comb elements 45 are divided into two groups as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 5, the group H at the right of Fig. 2 being for the vibrators which control the harness frames, while the group B at the left of Fig. 2 are for those levers which control the box motion of the loom. Between the groups H and 'B is located an upright arm integral with the web or body 44 to receive the right hand part of a lock knife rod 5| as viewed in Fig. 1.

The second part of the comb shown at is formed with a body or web 56 similar to body 44 and having upstanding comb elements 51 similar to the comb elements 45. The elements 51 are separated by vibrator lever receiving spaces 58 and are arranged in harness and box groups to correspond to the similar groups in the first described comb part 40. 56 are lugs 60 slotted as at 6| to receive bolts 62 which pass through the slots and are tapped into the lugs 48 of comb section 40, as shown in Fig. 3. The slots 6| permit adjustmentof the comb section 55 with respect to the section 40, and the bolts hold the second section in adjusted position on the first part.

As shown in. Fig. 5 :the two sections 40 and 55 have been bolted together with their respective comb elements 45 and 51 in alignment. If when thus aligned the effective width of the guide slots is such as .to guide the vibrator levers properly Depending from the body' the comb parts may remain as shown in Fig. 5, 7

but if the guide slots formed by the two sets of teeth are too wide to form proper guidance for 4, will engage the lever.

the vibrator levers, as suggested for instance at A in Fig. 5, the bolts 62 are loosened and the outer or second section 55 is moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 to assume some such position as shown in Fig. 4. When in this position the spaces 58 between the teeth elements 51 are offset somewhat with respect to the spaces 46 between the elements 45 and the backs 65 of the vibrator levers will engage the adjacent vertical faces 66 of the comb elements 45 while the right hand part of the wear plates 31, as viewed in adjacent surfaces 61 of the teeth elements 51. The two parts of the comb therefore cooperate by engaging dilferent parts of the vibrator lever to hold the latter erect and in proper registry with the pattern chain.

The extent of offset of the section 55 with respect to' the section 40, and therefore the effective width of the vibrator lever guide slots, can be varied depending upon the width of the spaces 46 and 58 to accommodate the thickness of the wear plates 31.

From the foregoing it will be seen that Ihave provided a two-part vibrator lever guide comb one of the parts of which is fastened permanently to the head frame and the other part of which is mounted on the first part for movement relatively thereto which permits a relative offsetting of the teeth elements ,45 and 51 suflicient to provide proper guiding of the vibrator It will also be seen that the part which supports the lock knife rod 5| is permanently fastened to the head 20 and is not altered by the adjustment of part 55. Furthermore, the line of division between the two sets of comb teeth lies within the zone of the wear pads 31.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a Knowles head and its vibrator levers, I do not wish to be limited in the use of my invention to that particular type of harness and shuttle box controlling mechanism.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a loom head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, an elongated comb forming element secured to the frame and having fingers extending between and separating the levers, a second elongated comb forming element separate from the first element and having spaced fingers lying between and separating the levers, and means to hold said elements in any one of a plurality of longitudinally adjusted positions to cause the fingers of one element to be slightly offset with respect to the fingers of the other element in a direction transverse of the comb elements for the purpose of providing guide slots for the levers transverse of the comb elements having a width adjusted to cause proper guidance for the levers.

2. In a loom head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, a comb forming element supported by and fixed with respect to the frame, spaced teeth carried by the element located between the levers to space the latter, a second comb element having and cause the opposite sides of the levers to lie closely adjacent to the teeth of the other comb element.

3. In a loom head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, a comb forming element secured to the frame and having spaced teeth which lie between the levers, a second comb forming element secured in adjusted lateral position on and with respect to the first element and having teeth extending between the levers, and means to hold the second element on the first element in any one of a plurality of positions with the teeth of one element offset relatively to the teeth of the other element suificiently to provide proper guidance for the levers.

4. In a loom head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, each of said levers having front and back vertical surfaces, a comb forming element secured to the frame, teeth carried by the comb forming element extending between the levers, a second comb forming element, teeth on the second element extending between the levers, means to hold the second element fixed with respect to the first element in any one of a plurality of positions with the teeth of one element offset relatively to the teeth of the other element to cause the teeth of one element to lie close to the back surfaces of the levers and cause the teeth of the other element to lie close to the front surfaces of the levers.

5. In a loom head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, each of said levers having front and back vertical surfaces, a comb forming element secured to the frame and extending transversely of the levers, teeth carried by the comb forming element extending between the lever, a second comb forming element also extending transversely of the levers, teeth on the second element extending between the levers, means to hold the second element fixed on the first element in any one of a plurality of positions with the teeth of one element ofiset relatively to the teeth of the other element to cause the teeth of one element to lie close to the back surfaces of the levers and cause the teeth of the other element to lie close to the front surfaces of the levers.

6. A composite comb for a head mechanism having a frame and vibrator levers, said comb comprising an element having attaching feet at the opposite ends thereof for the frame and having spaced teeth to lie between the levers, a second element provided with teeth to lie between the levers and capable of assuming a plurality of longitudinally adjusted positions with respect to the first element, and means to secure the first and second elements together with the teeth of one element offset with respect to the teeth of the other element.

'7. A composite comb for a head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, said comb comprising a first element having a body provided with attaching feet to be connected to the frame of the head mechanism, spaced teeth extending upwardly from the body to lie between the levers, a second comb forming element having a body from which extend spaced teeth to lie between the levers, and means to secure the bodies of said elements together in any one of a plurality of longitudinally adjustable positions to vary the offset of the teeth of one element with respect, to the teeth of the other element.

8. A composite comb for a head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, said comb comprising two comb forming elements, each element having spaced teeth to lie between the levers, each element having an elongated body to which the teeth thereof are secured, one of said elements having feet for attachment to the frame, and means to hold the bodies in relatively fixed position with the teeth of one element offset with respect to the teeth of the other element.

9. A composite comb for a head mechanism having a frame and operating with a plurality of spaced vibrator levers, said comb comprising two sets of spaced teeth to lie between the levers, two elongated bodies, one secured to each set of teeth, attaching feet on one of the bodies for connection with the frame, and means including slotted lugs on one of said bodies to receive bolts carried by the other body to hold said bodies in adjusted longitudinal position with one set of teeth offset with respect to the teeth of the other set in a direction transverse of said bodies.

10. In a loom head mechanism having a frame supporting a heel pin on which are pivoted a plurality of similar thin flat vertically disposed vibrator levers each having a vertical wear pad on one side thereof adjacent to the end pivoted on the heel pin, an elongated comb forming element extending transversely of said, levers and having a body secured to the frame, a plurality of spaced vertical teeth on said body extending between said levers along those parts of the wear pads adjacent to said heel pin, a second elongated comb forming element extending transversely of said levers and having a body, a plurality of spaced vertical teeth on said second body extending between the levers along those parts of the wear pads remote from said heel pin, and means to hold said elements fixed with respect to each other with the teeth of one element closely adjacent to the wear pads and the teeth of the other element closely adjacent to the sides of the levers opposite to the'wear pads.

11. In a loom head mechanism having a frame supporting a heel pin on which are pivoted a plurality of similar thin fiat vertically disposed vibrator levers each having a vertical wear pad on one side thereof adjacent to the end pivoted on the heel pin, an elongated comb forming element extending transversely of said levers and having a body secured to the frame, a plurality of spaced vertical teeth on said body extending between said levers along those parts of the wear pads adjacent to said heel pin, a second elongated comb forming element extending transversely of said levers and having a body, a plu-' rality of spaced vertical teeth on said second body extending between the levers along those parts of the wear pads remote from said heel pin, and meansto hold said elements fixed with respect to each other so that the teeth of either element will extend closely adjacent to the wear pads and the teeth of the other element will extend closely adjacent to the sides of the levers opposite to the wear pads.

WILLIAM M. WATTIE. 

